Fruit-basket



(No Model.)

T. COGSWELL.

FRUIT BASKET. y No. 515,072. Patented Feb. l2O, 1894.

' ETE .i

TATES PATENT muon.

FRUIT-BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 515,072, dated February20, 1894.

Application filed October 24, 1892.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMASv GoGswELL, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of San Diego, in the county of San Diego,State of California, have invented a new and useful Fruit-Basket; andIdohere- -by declare that the following is a full, clear,

and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

My present invention is an improved basket or similar receptacleespecially adapted for the use of fruit gatherers, berry pickers, duc.;and its objects are to enable the contents of the basket to be readilydischarged therefrom without bruising or manual handling thereof; and toenable the bail or handle to be turned down out of the way when thebaskets are to be transported lor stored; or to facilitate the dischargeof the contents of the basket by enabling the body to be swung on thebail.

The invention therefore consists in the novel construction of thebasket; in the novel construction of the bailV attaching devices; and inthe novel combination with the body of a flexible discharge chute orfunnel.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure1 represents a perspective view of a basket constructed in accordancewith my invention and embodying the several features thereof. Fig. 2 isa detail side elevation of the basket' indicating the bail folded. Fig.3 is a part side elevation and part section showing the position ofparts when the basket is to be emptied of its contents. Fig. @is atransverse vertical section through the basket and bail attachingdevices.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A, designates the body of thebasket, which is shown of the ordinary oblong form, but the shape andconstruction of the body may be varied at pleasure of the manufacturer.This body has its sides, bottom and one end fixed in relation to eachother, but the remaining end piece B, is hinged to the sides at theupper edge as indicated at a, by any suitable hinge or pivotalconnections so that such endkmay be unclosed as indicated in Fig. 3, toallow the contents of the body to escape. Any suit- Serial No. 449.818.(No model.)

able device may be employed to lock this end when closed.

In order to facilitate the transfer of the contents of the body from itto another receptacle, I employ a flexible funnel O, consisting of abottomless sack one end of which is secured to and around the hinged endof the body as shown, so that when the body is tilted as indicated inFig. 3, the hinged end piece B, will swing open in the sack and thecontents of the body can escape into the sack and therethrough into anyother receptacle desired without handling of such contents. This featureis especially desirable in handling fruits, as the fruit will be guidedfrom the body into the desired receptacle without handling it andtransferred Without bruising. When it is not desired to use the funnelsack, it is folded over the hinged end piece B, and underneath the body,as indicated in Figs. l and 4, and secured in such position by a pivotedclamping Wire D, which binds the end of the sack to the bottom of thebody. The sack then in connection with wire D, keeps the end piece B,closed. up as indicated in Fig. 3, releasing thesack and end piece B,when desired.

Wire D, may be replaced by other suitable securing devices if desiredwhich will hold the sack or end piece closed.

E, represents the bail of ordinary form,but in its ends are longitudinalslots c. The ends of the bail are adapted to enter combined socket andhinge pieces F, attached to the outer sides of the body. Each piece F,has an earf, on its upper end through which passes a pivot pin G, whichalso passes through the slot e, in the end of the bail, and through thetop edge of the body, forming a bond between ear f, and the body, and atthe same time con ining the end of bail to and between the piece F, andside of body. When the bail is drawn up to the position indicated indotted lines Fig. 2, and full linesFig. 3, 'the pins G, are at thebottom of slots e, and the bail can then be turned over sidewise, asindicated in full lines Fig. 2, or the basket can be tilted as indicatedin Fig. 3, because the ends of the bail are then clear of the sides ofthe pieces F.

When the bail is pushed down as indicated in Figs. l and 4., the endsthereof are confined The Wire D, can be turned IOO between the sides ofthe pieces F, so that turn- Y ing of the bail on the body is prevented;in order to hold the bail in this position, rigid with the body, springcatches are used. `As shown, I have used fiat springs H, H, the upperends of which are secured to earsf, by the pins G,'as indicated clearlyin the drawings, though it may be lsecured by an independent fastening.Near the lower end of each spring is secured a stud or tooth h, which isadapted to project through an opening f in the socket piece F, near thebottom thereof into the slots e, in the bail ends, as indicated in Figs.l and 2. When these teeth are thus engaged with slots e, it isimpossible to pull the bail up out of the socket pieces, consequentlythe bail is.

locked rigidly to the body and the latter can be handled as an ordinarybasket. When it is desired to tilt the basket on the bail as indicatedin Fig. 3, or to fold the bail, as indicated in full lines Fig. 2, thelower ends of springs H, are pulled outward, so as to Withdraw teeth h,from the openings f', and are turned to one side as indicated in Fig. 2.The bail can then be drawn out, until arrested by pins Gr.

The pieces F, as indicated in the drawings, may be made of stampedmetal, or may be cast and are secured to the sides of the basket byrivets or nails f2.

As the invention may be applied to a variety of vessels, and formsthereof, and as the mechanical parts are subject to structural variationwithout varying their functions or oftices, I do not conne myself to theprecise construction herein shown and described.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as newis- 1. In a fruit basket, the combination of the body and bottomlesssack attached to the end thereof, and suitable means for holding thesack around the end and bottom of body, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the body having one end piece hinged substantiallyas described; with a funnel secured to the end of body adjoining thehinged end piece, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the body having its sides, bottom and one endpiece fixed in relation to each other, and its remaining end piecehinged substantially as described; with a bottomless sack secured to thebody around the hinged end thereof, and means for closing such endpiece, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the body, the combined hinge and socket piecessecured to the sides thereof, and the bail having its end slotted andadapted to engage said socket pieces, the fixed pivot pins engaging theslots in the bail, and the catches for holding said bail rigid,substantially as and for the purpose described.

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5. The combination of the body, the combined hinge and socket piecessecured to the sides thereof, the bail having its ends pivotallyconnected to said socket pieces and the spring catches adapted to lockthe ends of the bail when they are forced into said socket pieces,substantially as described.

6. The combination of the body, the bail having its ends slotted, thefixed pins engaging said slots for pivotally connecting the bail to thebody, and the devices for locking said bail rigidly to the body whendesired, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of the body having one end piece hinged substantiallyas described, with a funnel secured to the end of body adjoining thehinged end piece, and the bail pivotally connected to the body, andmeans for locking said bail rigidly to the body, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

8. In a fruit basket the combination of the body, having hinged end B,the bail E, the hinge socket pieces F, F, the spring catches H, H, andthe bottomless sack C, all constructed and arranged substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

THOMAS COGS WELL.

